Electrically controlled valve mechanism



Dec. 14, 1937. o. w. FISHER ET AL ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED VALVE MECHANISM Filed May 17, 1935 2 Sheets-Shave?t l Dec. 14, 1937. o. w. FISHER ET AL ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED VALVE MECHANISM Filed May 17, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 h m. y J new m www. A ai 7 ,n a 0M B Patented Dec. 14, 1937 UNITED STATES PATE-NT. oir-FICE MEcHANIsiv/I Orin Wallace Fisher and Ralph Edwin Walter, Seattle, Wash., assignors to Fisher Flouring Mills Co., Seattle, Wash.,

Washington a corporation 'f of' Application May 17, 1935, Serial No. 272,056

10 Claims.

pers, arranged to be opened 'by the weight of the material resting on said valve upon the release of control means such. as catch means.

Another object of our invention is to provide a hopper and valve mechanism therefor having electrical switches controlled by the position of the valve.

Another object of our invention is to provide indicating means positioned at any convenient location to indicate the operative condition ofV the hopper valve at all times.

Another object of this invention is to provide a valve extending, when open, 'across the path of discharge of material from the hopper and arranged so that the discharge of material will maintain the valve in such open position.

Another object of this invention is to provide counterweight means for such a valve, closing the valve when no material is discharging from the hopper.

Another object of this invention is to provide counterweight means so arranged that a minimum new of material will maintain the valve open, and so arranged that the valve slowly closes permitting suicient time delay for all material to flow past the valve.

Another object of this invention is to provide a valve having two closed positions, one when the'valve is closed and no material rests thereon, and the other when the valve is closed and material rests thereon.

Another object of this invention is to provide a baffle means in association with ar valve having two such closed` positions so that the impact of ialling materials will not move the valve to th closed and occupied position.

The above mentioned general objects of our invention, together with others inherent in the same, are attained by the device illustrated in the following drawings, the same being preferred exemplary iorms of embodiment of our invention,

throughout which drawings like reference numer'als indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is` a view in elevation of a hopper embodying the invention; y

Fig. 2 is' a view'partly in elevation and partly in section, on alarger'scalev showing the lower. portion, the upper p'ortionbeing' broken away; of the Vparts indicatedin Figure 1; l

Fig. 3v Vis a fragmentary plan View with parts in section, substantially ony brokenline 3 3 'of Fig. 2, with the counterweights elevated;

Fig. 4 is a detached fragmentary elevation of a device positioned on the lower portion of the hopper on the side opposite to that shownin Fig. 2 and adapted to yieldingly resist movement ofthe valve from a closed and unoccupied position to a closed and occupied position;

Fig. 5 is a'view in elevation substantially on broken line 54-5 of Fig. 2'; and Fig. 6 is a diagram Villustrating electrical apparatus embodied'in the invention.

Referring/to Figure 1, in indicates a hopper for `the storage of a free 'flowing material such as' grain, and II indicates generally a valve therefor. In the application, of which this is a continuationin part, the hopper to which the valve was attached, was illustrated as a scale hopper. While the valve II is applicable as adisch'arge valve from the scale hopper,it is likewise appli.- cable to other hoppers vand in the present drawings' the hopper is not confined merely to a scale hopper* VYReferring particularly to Fig. 2, the hopper I l) is provided with a; boot I2 which is open at the bottomand is adapted to be closed by the valve II, which is pivotally mounted on a shaft I3. The valve I I is preferably'larger than the bottom of the boot I2, and is provided with upwardly turned edges Mywhich'extendover the outside of boot' I2. Counterweights I5A arey adjustably mounted on lever arms I6', which'are xedly secured to the valve nI I, said lcounterweights'serving' to return the valve II to the closed position when no material is` discharging from the -boot I2. IThe edge I4 on the 'valve II on. theY opposite side'from. the pivot I3 isinclinedv as at I1 vand is provided with a catch member I8 arranged to engage with a locking lug "i9 on a shaft 2K5. The shaft 2Q is journaled in a bracketmember' 2|, which is secured to the boot I2 and inanother bracket member 22,`which is also secured to the boot I 2 (see also Fig. 5) A holding member 23 is secured onthe shaft 20and is arranged to be engagedbya catch member 24, which is pivoted at 25 on the bracket member 2|. A spring 26 urges the c-atch member 24 downwardly into an engaged position, and a plunger 21, operated by a solenoid 28 in a housing 29, is arranged to lift the said catch member 24 to release the holding member 23. Two substantially balanced tension springs 39, normally tending to retain the hold- Y ing member 23Vin an upright position, are anchored to a cross bar 3l on the outer end of the bracket member 2|. When a load rests on the valve II and the catch member 24 is released, said valve will swing downwardly and permit the material in the hopper I to discharge. After said material has all discharged-the counter- Weights I5 will swing the valve II upwardly into closed position. As the valve II approaches the closed position, the catch member'l `engages the lower side of the locking lug I9 and raises said locking lug into the position shown by dot and. dash lines in Fig. 2, at the same time tilting the holding member 23 into the do-t and dash line position. When the locking lug I9 has reached such dot and dash line position, it will snap downwardly past the end of the catch member I8 and the holding member 23 will be angularly moved in a clockwise direction into engagement with the catch member 24, in which position locking lug I9 will be firmly supported, so that the catch member I8 may lrest thereon and the valve II be supported thereby in a closed position.

. When the valve I I closes it will swing upwardly into the dot and dash line position shown in Fig. 2 and be in a position in which the catch member I8 is spaced above the locking lug I9, and will be held in this fully closed position by means including the mechanism shown in Fig. 4, until a predetermined weight of material rests on said valve I I and moves the same downwardly into the full line position shown in Fig. 2. As shown by full lines in Fig. 4, when the valve II is fully closed, the Afront edge of said valve II will rest against an inclined surface 32 on a pawl 33, which is pivoted yat 34 and urged toward the valve II by a spring 35, and it will require a. predetermined weighton the valve II to overcome the force of the spring 35 and permit said valve II to move downwardly into the position shown by dot and dash lines in Fig. 4. To prevent the pawl 33 from resistingthe closing of the Valve I Iwe provide a stop member 36 which vis pivoted on the boot I2, as at 31, and is arranged to engage said pawl 33. A member 38 is connected by a pivot 39 with the stop member 36, and swings downwardly therefrom in a position to be engaged by the edge I4l of the valve II. yWhen the valve II is moved from the fully closed position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 to the occupied position shown by dot and dash lines in Fig. 4, the

pawl 33 will be moved outwardly into the dot and dash lineposition, and the stop member `36 will move downwardly until it rests on a stop pin 40, in which position it will hold the pawl 33 outwardly clear of the edge of the valve I I, so that when the said valveV again swings upwardly it will not frictionally engage the pawl 33, but will pass upwardly beyond the end of the pawl 33, will strike the 'member 38, lift the stop member 35 and release the pawl 33 after the inclined edge of the valve I I is opposite the inclined surface 32, thereby avoiding frictional engagement between the edge of the valve II and the pawl 33 when the valve II is being closed. The mechanism shown in Fig. 4 is preferably positioned on the side ofthe boot I2 opposite to the mechanism shown in Fig. 2, as indicated in Fig. 5.

When the valve I I swings downwardly into the open position and material is discharging from the hopper I0, the counterweights I5 will be swung upwardly into a position as shown by dot and dash lines in Fig. 2, which is slightly past a vertical line passing through the shaft I3, whereby the Vcounterweights I5 will not tend to closey the valve II. However, in this position, the counterweights I5 engage Ywith relatively light springs 4I V(Fig. 3) which springs 4I exert a light outward pressure on said counterweights I5, said pressure being insufficient to start the closing of the valve I I, as long as any material is discharging from the'hopper, but being strong enough to move the counterweights I5 back past the vertical line passing through shaft I3 as soon as al1 material has been discharged. Whereupon, the counterweights I5 will slowly cause the closing of the valve I I. The slow movement of the counterweights VI5 as they are pushed back beyond the vertical line drawn through support I3, and the slowly accelerated movement as they fall farther and fartherl to the right of the support I3, provides a time delay feature which is ample to allow the last few particles of product such as grain to flow out of hopper I9. A stop bar 42 is secured to the boot I2 and extends into the path of the lever arm I6, so that the movement of the counterweights I5 will be stopped after the springs 4I Vhave been flexed enough to give the outward pressure as above set forth.

Bane member 43 is provided in the hop-per lo f immediately above the boot I2 to prevent the impact of falling material on the valveII, said baffle member 43 allowing the material to freely vpass downwardly around the edges thereof.

Referring to Figs. 5 6, and 2, the shaft 20 is journaled at one end in the bracket member 22, which bracket member is secured to boot'l2. To shaft 29, locking lug I9 and holding member 23 are secured as previously described. A cam 44 is also secured on shaft 20 and is positioned so that its eccentric portion extends upwardly as shown in Fig. 5 when the holding member 23 is in upright locking position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When this cam 44 is in the upright position it engages and lifts a switch plunger 45, which in turn engages with an insulated block 46 and a source ofelectrical energy, which source ofV electrical energy yis herein illustrated by means of generator 52. The conductor 59 is connected with a signal means, such as a lamp 53, thence along conductor 54 and thence to the other main circuit wire 55. If this circuit is energized, lamp l53 will be illuminated, Yindicating that the holding member 23 is in the locked position.

When the holding memberA 23 moves to an unlocked position, as is illustrated by dot and dash lines in Fig. 2, the shaft 2li-is angularly moved and the cam 44is angularly moved so that the switch plunger vmoves downwardly, thus permitting spring contact member 4'I to move downwardly into vcontact with a contact member 59 and thereby causing an electrical connection beaoV tween the electrical conductor 49 and the electrical conductor 56. When electrical conductors 49 and 56 are electrically connected, electrical energy passes from the sourcel 52' along main circuit wire 5I, along conducto-r 49, along conductor 56, through indicating means such as signal lamp 51, along conductor 58 and thence to the other main circuit wireff55. When the holding member 23 is in unlocked position, such position will be indicated by the illumination of signal lamp 51 by rthe electric circuit `just described. 1

In the application, of which this is a continuation-in-part, the electrical switch means operated by the locking and unlocking of the valve, was indicated in Fig. 8 thereof. This switch was a single contact switch and provided van electrical circuit when the catch member was in locking position. vIn the present application, Vfor the purpose of clearness, we have indicated an `electrical circuit and signal means therefor when the catch member is in both the locked and unlocked positions.

It is obvious that the switch mechanism, which is operatively connected with the holding member 23, is responsive to the holding and locking means 23, 20 and I9, irrespective of the position of the valve II, the object of this mechanism being to indicate whether or not the locking mechnism is in a locked position, and other means being provided for indicating whether the valve II is in open or closed position.

In the application, Serial No. 610,414, iiled'May 10, 1932, the electrical conductors '49 and 50 were interconnected with an automatic scale mechanism. For the purpose of illustration in the present case We have illustrated signal lamps 53 and 51. In the event that the described locking mechanism is in locked position, the signal lamp 53 will be illuminated, while if such locking mechanism is in unlocked position, the Asignal lamp 51 will be illuminated. v

Referring to Fig. 2, the plunger 60`of the switch 6I is positioned to be engaged by the edge I4 of the valve I I at a position in the upward travel of the Valve II just previous to the time that the catch member I8 of the valve I'I contacts the locking lug I9, the plunger 60 'being in its lowermost position prior to being first engaged by the edge I4. When the valve II is not'in engagement with the plunger 60, the valve II is, therefore, in an open position. When the valve IVI is closed and a weight of material is present in the hopper of at least a predetermined amount, the valve II is in the full line position shown in Fig. 2. When the valve I I is in the dot and. dash line position, shown in Fig. 2, the valve is then closed and not occupied. As the valve moves upwardly and downwardly it also tmoves the plunger 60 with it during the part of the travel just described, and the switch 6I causes electrical connections in response to such movement of the plunger 60.

In Fig. 'the plunger 60 is in its medial position, thus indicating that the valve is closed and the hopper is occupied. In this position electrical contact is made between main circuit wire 5I, contact members 62 (said contact members 62 being electrically connected by brush contactor 63 secured to plunger 66) thence along conductor 64, through signal lamp 65 to the other main circuit wire 55. Signal lamp 65 is thus illuminated when the valve II is in the closed and occupied position. l

-When the valve II is in-an openpositionfthe plunger 60 is moved downwardly to itsA lower-most position by means of springs 66 sothat the brush contactor 63' electrically connects contact members 61. When the Valve IIV is fully closed, the plunger 60 is moved upwardly toits uppermost position and electrically connects contacts 68. material is present resting on the valve II. As material is delivered into the hopper II), as soon as a vpredeterminedweigl'it of material restson the valveL II,the valve I'I will be moved from the uppermost position to its medial position, which medial `position is shown in vfull lines in Fig. 2, in which position the plunger 60 is in the medial position shown in Fig. 6.

With the valve I I in the closed and unoccupied position and the plunger 60 in its uppermost position, anelectrical circuit is made, commencing with main circuit wire 5I through electrical contacts 68, which have been connected by brush co-ntactor 63, thence along conductor 69 through signal means, such as lamp 10, to the other main circuit wire 55. Thus, when thev valve II is closed yand unoccupied, this will be indicated by the illumination of lamp 10.

When a predetermined weight of material rests on the valve II, the valve II will be moved to the closed and occupied vposition and the plunger 60'will be moved vto its medial position, and lamp 65 will be illuminated as previously described.

When the valve II is opened, the plunger 6D will move to its lowermost position and the brush contacter 63 will electrically connect contactv members 61. In this open position of the valve II andthe lowermost position of the plunger 60, an electrical circuit will be established, commencing with main circuit wire 5I through electrical contact members 61, which have been interconnected by the brush contactor 63, thence along electrical conductor 1I, through a signal means, such as a lamp 12, and thence to the other main circuit `wire 55. In this open position of the valve II, and the corresponding position of the plunger 6i), lamp 12 will be illuminated, indicating that the valve is in open position.

In this position the valve II is closed and no- The opening of the Avalve Il is accomplished by the operation of the solenoid 28, which in turn moves the plunger 21 upwardly, and thus moves upwardly the catch member 24 out of the path of travel of the holding member 23, permitting the holding member 23 to be angularly moved, and with it the catch member I8, thus permitting the valve IIto move open by reason ofthe weight of material'resting thereon. The

solenoid 28 may be energized by means of a switch 13. Upon the closing of switch 13, an electrical circuit is established, which commences with main circuit Ywire, 5I, along co-nductor 14, throughsolenoid V23, along conductor 15, through switch 13, and thence to the other main circuit wire 55.

summarizing the operation of the device, When no material is'owing out of the boot I2 and past the valve II, the valve Il will be closed by means of the counterweights I5. The valve II will move to thev dot and dash line position shown in Fig. 2, which is the closed and unoccupied position. On closing, the catch I8 will angularly move the locking lug I9'andmovepast said locking lug I9. After the catch I 8 has moved-past the locking lug I9, the locking lug I9 and the ,holding member 23 will be angularly moved from the dot and dash line position shown ,in Fig. 2 tothe position shown in fulllines in 2, by `reason of "the v tension springs ZIII` Withy the holding member 23' in the full line position shown in Fig. 2, the catch member 24 will prevent angular movement of the holding member 23 in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 2, as long as the catch member 24 is in the full line position shown in Fig. 2. The catch member 24 will .be in the full line position shown in Fig. 2 as long as the solenoid -28 is deenergized, which is responsive to the opening of switch 'I3, Fig.` 6.v With the switch I3 open, the valveV II, as has been described, will now be in a closed locked and unoccupied position. This will be indicated by the illumination of lamps I0 and 53. When a predetermined weight of material is delivered into the hopper I0 and the same rests on the valve II, then the valve II will move downwardly from the dot and dash line position shown in Fig. 2, to the full line position shown in Fig, 2. In this position the valve I I will be in the closed occupied and locked position. This position will be indicated by the illumination of lamp 65 and lamp 53.

Referring to Fig. 4, the mechanism for frictionally holding the valve II in the closed and unoccupied position and requiring a predetermined weight of material to move thel same to the closed and occupied position is indicated. This mechanism indicated Yin Fig. 4 provides a friction contact between the inclined end of the valve II and the inclined surface 32 of pawl 33. In order to move the end of the valve II downwardly it is necessary to angularly move the paWl 33, which is resisted by spring 35. Thus, a predetermined weight is necessary on the valve I I to move the same from the closed unoccupied and locked position to the closed occupied and locked position. It is to be further noted that material falling into the hopper strikes kbaille member 43 so that the valve II is not moved to the occupied position by the impact of falling material, but is so moved when a predetermined weight of material rests on the valve II.

When switch 'I3 is closed, the catch member 24 is angularly moved and the valve II is re leased. The material falling past the valve I I will angularly move the valve II and cause the counterweights I5 to move into the dot and dash line position shown in Fig. 2, where said counterweights will engage the springs 4I (see Fig. 3) and the lever arm I6 will engage stopbar 42. In this position, a vertical line drawn through the center of gravity of the counterweights would pass to the left of support I3. Therefore, the counterweights tend to angularly move the lever arms I6 in a counterclockwise direction as respects Fig. 2. The relatively light springsv 4I tend to move the counterweights I5 in a clockwise direction and provide a pressure turning the counterweights in this direction, which is a relatively ,light pressure. This pressure is not sufiicient to angularly move the counterweights as long as any substantial amount of grain is being delivered from the boot pastrthe valve II. As soon as the material ceases flowing from the boot, the springs 4I Yurge the counterweights slowly in a clockwise direction as respects Fig. 2, and the counterweights I5 close the valve II.

When the valve II was'opened, the stopmember 35 held the Ypawl 33 in the dot and dash Vline position shown in Fig. 4. The pawl 33 is maintained in this position until the closing of the valve I I. Upon the closing of the'valve II the edges I4 of -the valve I I engage member 38, which is in the dot and dash line position shown lin Fig. 4 and move the same to the full line position shown in Fig. 4. Thus, the means shownin 4 do not resist the closing of the valve and only frictionally resist the opening of the valve as the same moves from a closed unoccupied position to a closed and occupied position.

Obviously, changes may be made in the form, dimensions and arrangement of the parts of our invention without departing from the principle thereof, the above setting forth' only preferred forms of embodiment.

We claim:

1. In mechanism ofthe class described, a hopper having a discharge opening in its lower portion; a valve operatively positioned across said discharge opening and arranged to be in the path of discharging material when open; movable counterweight means operatively connected with said valve tending to close said valve, said counterweight means moving to a substantially balanced position in which it exerts substantially no closing force on said valve when the valve is in a fully open position; and means positioned in the path of travel of said counterweight means engageable by said counterweight means when the counterweight means is in said substantially balanced position, said means affording a relatively light predetermined pressure urging the counterweight means out of balanced position, whereby a relatively light predetermined pressure tending to close said valve, when fully open, is provided.

2. In mechanism of the class described, a hopper having a discharge opening in its lower portion; a valve operatively positioned across said discharge opening and arranged to be in the path of discharging material when open; movable counterweight means operatively connected with said valve tending to close said valve, said counterweight means moving to a substantially balanced position in which it exerts substantially no closing force on said valve when the valve is in a fully open position; and relatively light pressure means urging the counterweight means out of said balanced position and thereby tending ti slowly close the valve, whereby a relatively small discharge of material will maintainthe valve open and the valve will slowly close after said discharge of material ceases affording a time delay for complete discharge of material. v

3. In mechanism of the class described, a hopper having a, discharge opening in its lower portionya valve pivotally mounted for opening and closing movement relative to said discharge opening and arranged to be opened by the weight of material thereon; counterweight means, connected with said valve, moving the valve to closed position, said counterweight means moving to.

substantially a balanced position in which it eX- erts substantially no turning force on the valve when the valve is in a fully open position; and relatively light spring means yieldingly urging said counterweight means from said balanced position toward a valve closing position.

4. In mechanism of the class described, a hopper'having a discharge opening in its lower portion; a valve pivoted at one edge thereof for opening and closing movement relative to said discharge opening, and arranged to be opened by the. weight of material thereon; lever arm means connected with said valve and extending' from the` pivot in a. direction substantially opposite to said valve; counterweight means carried by said lever arm means and urging said valve into a closed position, said counterweight means being positioned above the horizontal plane of the pivot when the valve is in closed position; stop means positioned to arrest the opening movementI of said valve after the center of gravity of the counterweight means has passed thev vertical plane of the pivot and before the valve has reached a vertical position, whereby the valve in fully open position is in the path of discharging material when the turning force exerted by the counterweight means is substantially at a balance; and yielding means exerting a predetermined force, when the valve is fully open, returning said counterweight means to an unbalanced position, tending to close said valve, whereby the valve may be maintained in fully open position by a predetermined discharge of material from said hopper.

5. In mechanism of the class described, a hopper having a discharge opening in its lower position; a pivotally mounted valve operatively positioned as respects said discharge opening, said valve tending to swing to an open position when material rests thereon, and tending to move to a closed position in the absence of material resting thereon; a pivotal locking lug positioned in the path of the movable end of said valve; a pivoted holding member connected with said lug; a selectively operable catch member engaging said holding member and preventing rotary movement in one direction thereof; resilient means connected with said holding member normally positioning said lug and said holding member in locking position; electrical switch means connected with said lug and said holding member and movable into and out of electrical conducting position by the rotary movement of said lug and holding member; and electrically operated means connected with said electrical switch means.

6. In mechanism of the class described, a hopper having a discharge opening; a valve positioned for opening and closing movement as respects said discharge opening, said valve having two closed positions and being operable by weight of material thereon; and yielding valve control means operatively connected with said valve resisting movement of said valve from one of said closed positions to the other closed position, said yielding valve control means being operated by a predetermined weight of material on the valve permitting movement of said valve from one closed position to the other closed position.

'7. In mechanism of the class described, a hopper having a discharge opening; a valve, opened by the weight of material thereon, positioned for opening and closing movement as respects said discharge opening; releasable valve holding means positioned in the opening path of movement of the valve at a position below the fully closed position of the valve; and yielding means engaging said valve in its travel from its fully closed position to the position when it engages said valve holding means, whereby opening movement of the valve from the fully closed position to the position where it engages the valve holding means is yieldingly resisted.

8. In mechanism of the class described, a hopper having a discharge opening in its lower portion; a counterweighted valve normally assuming a closed position, pivoted at one edge thereof and positioned across said discharge opening whereby the weight of material in said hopper will rest on said valve; a pivoted locking lug engaging said valve in its downward travel at a position below its maximum raised position, thereby providing an occupied position for said valve; and yielding means engaging said valve in its downward travel between its maximum raised position and the position where said valve engages said locking lug, whereby downward movement of the valve between its maximum raised position and the position where it engages said locking lug is yieldingly resisted, thereby requiring a predetermined weight of material on the valve to move the valve to its occupied position.

9. In mechanism of the class described, a hopper having a, discharge opening in its lower por'- tion; a counterweighted valve normally assuming a closed-position, pivoted at one edge thereof and positioned across said discharge opening, whereby the weight of material in said hopper will rest on sai-d valve; a pivoted locking lug for said valve engaging said valve in its downward travel at a position below its maximum raised position, thereby providing an occupied position for said valve; a pawl frictionally engaging said valve in its downward travel between its maximum raised position and its occupied position; and means disengaging said pawl from said valve in the upward travel of said valve releasing said disengaging means, whereby frictional engagement between the said pawl and the said valve is obtained during the downward travel of the valve and frictional disengagement between such members is had during the upward travel of said valve.

l0. In mechanism of the class described, a hopper having a discharge opening in its lower portion; a counterweighted valve normally assuming a closed position, pivoted at one edge thereof and positioned across said discharge opening, whereby the Weight of material in said hopper will rest on said valve; a pivoted locking lug engaging said valve in its downward travel at a position below its maximum raised position, thereby providing an occupied position for said valve; yielding means engaging said valve in its downward travel between its maximum raised position and the position where said Valve engages said locking lug, whereby downward movement of the valve between its maximum raised position and the position where it engages said locking lug is yieldingly resisted, thereby requiring a predetermined weight of material on the valve to move the valve to its occupied position; and baiile means in said hopper positioned immediately above said valve and in the path of travel of material to said valve, said bale means being positioned to provide. passageways around said bale means, thereby establishing communication throughout said hopper with a deecting means positioned in the path of travel of materials, whereby the impact of falling materials into said hopper is borne by the baille means and such impact does not affect the valve and does not move the valve until a predetermined weight rests thereon.

ORIN WALLACE FISHER. RALPH EDWIN WALTER. 

